New Quebec political party makes statement with logo

Mark Bruneau, a candidate for Coalition Avenir Quebec, says Quebec has amongst the highest level of indebtedness and taxation of any state in North America, and explains where the party sits on the political spectrum.

CTV Montreal: Francois Legault on his new party

Todd van der Heyden talks to Francois Legault about the Coalition Avenir Quebec.

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CTVNews.ca Staff

Date: Mon. Nov. 14 2011 9:03 PM ET

Quebec's latest political party might actually be a lot of old parties rolled into one: it's billing itself as ready to work on both sides of the political spectrum.

The Coalition For Quebec's Future's logo takes its shape from the Parti's Quebecois but also includes the colours of the Liberals and federal Conservatives.

The party, which officially launched on Monday, says it wants to focus on getting Quebeckers to work together, rather than fight over independence.

That message has gotten traction in the province -- before the party was even an official entity it has surged ahead in the polls.

Party Leader Francois Legault, a former Parti Quebecois cabinet minister and airline executive, says he's done with the independence debate -- he just wants the province to become more prosperous.

"After 40 years, it's time for a new era," Legault said.

"An era when Quebec starts to advance again. A strong Quebec, a dynamic Quebec, a proud Quebec. I'm not here to promote sovereignty -- nor reopen the Constitution."

Mark Bruneau, a Montreal businessman who ran and lost for the federal Liberals in the last election, says he joined the new party because it's a coalition of ideas with a focus on the future.

"I define that future as a high-performance economy . . . that stands head and shoulders as a strong performer within a strong Canada," he told CTV's National Affairs. "It's a very different kind of Quebec that rolls up its sleeves, that reduces its cost structure and increases its performance level."

"We are among the highest level of indebtedness and taxation of any state in North America," he added. "For that, what do citizens gets: schools that don't perform, a health care system that doesn't perform, antiquated infrastructure."

The party's initial platform includes:

Abolishing regional health agencies to give hospitals more autonomy, and basing hospital budgets on total patients treated.
Paying down debt faster by allocating 100 per cent of non-renewable resource royalties to debt repayment.
Enforcing Quebec's language laws by using the Constitution's notwithstanding clause.
Reducing immigration levels by 10 per cent for two years.

Legault's former allies weren't that impressed by the party's ideas, calling them the opposite of bold and new.

"I question the courage of Mr. Legault to revolutionize the world using recipes as old as the world," Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois said.

Comments are now closed for this story

James
said

They're far less frightening than Alberta's Wild Rose party, I don't see what the big deal is.

Roger
said

The picture of the logo is only worth 50% of a thousand word. It's in French only.
Roughly translated in English, it would read:

CORRUPTION ADIOS QUEBEC

frankcanadian
said

Boring.Been there....There's nothing new here.Quebecers like change. And change will come.Most Quebecers love Canada and want to be part of it Yet they are Quebecers first with pride and Canadians, also with pride.

Jayme
said

Mike in Mississauga
There is nothing wrong with a party having the best interest for there area that all good and fine and the more the better.With this new quebec party most of what they want to do while i don't agree with it they have the right to do it but the idea to have just french and more or less not have english that si where the issue is.

Guy Smiley
said

Sure are a lot French haters on line here. Please remember to boo your national anthem if they sing it in French at the Grey Cup this year.

Paul R
said

A separatist is like any other politician looking to further their agenda. We have NDP folk that are now liberals and separatists that are now NDP.

A separatist starting a new party is still a separatist right? It sounds like more Quebecois Quebec first crap to me.......

Thomas
said

Just give Quebec back to it's rightful owners, the indigenous one, the local Aboriginals and call it a day for crying out loud! I am sure the Europeans that stole those lands and their descendants can find places to make up political parties else where.

Weeeeblah K Beck LIBRA
said

I am an Anglo Quebecer very excited about the new Coalition Party. I support a soverign Quebec, and this party will have a new fresh attitude to move forward into the future, getting rid of past do-nothings like wealthy Pauline Marois.

Doug ^^^ BC
said

I have no axe to grind with the people of Quebec, but like others have said,it's hard to believe this man. Not many people go from being hard core separatists to nationalists with out some kind of a hidden agenda. Prosperity is a good thing, though. When we have it, people don't complain about what they don't have, or try to sell separatism as a road to riches. Quebec has gotten itself into a fiscally difficult position. They are almost like the Greece of the Canadian provinces. They have all the social programs, while others work to pay for them. I'm also suspicious of parties that say they can be "slightly right on economic issues" while, at the same time, "left of centre on social issues". That sounds impossible, or near impossible to me. Social issues cost money. The more left you go, the more it costs, and the more people want more money for more social programs. If anyone can show me how you can be even remotey right of centre on economics,in an environement like that, I have a bridge in Arizona I can let you have cheap. People need to recognize that not all spending by government is the same.Spending on social programs is consumption,by us,of all or a portion of our GDP. When it's spent, that money os gone. Spending in infrastructure or on projects that will last for decades, is just as expensive, but it leaves hard assets that will benefit the next generation. That said, I think Quebec does need another party that is not separatist, to compete with Charest and the Liberals. One federalist choice at the ballot box is never a good thing.

leftwingpinko
said

some of these comments remind me of when i first moved from montreal to calgary. almost everyone hated quebec (but had never been there) and hated french canadians (but had never known any). i learned to hate calgary (after living there)

Vince
said

"A more prosperous Quebec". Since they have a shrinking population, are rife with unions and gold plated social programs the only way that will happen is with more transfer payments from the Alberta and the Oilsands royalties. If Canada were the EU Quebec would be Greece. And by the same token, either would be "more prosperous" without them.

Will
said

Looks more like a TV network logo. Either way irrelevant. I'll pay attention when they come out firmly on the side of CANADA.

Sam C
said

"And its colours include Liberal red." Really? I also see "Conservative blue" and "NDP orange." In actual fact, I see about nine distinct colours, including those created by overlapping elements of different colour. Perhaps the colours don't have to represent any particular ideologies, and just represent -- as Legault suggests -- people of all ideologies coming together for the common good. I find this refreshing.

Dave in Qc.
said

For those of you whining about his "Nation" statement Harper is the one that brought forth the legislation to have Quebec declared a nation within Canada. So take your beef up with Harper not us here in quebec.

oddmerlin
said

(it will allow our nation to reach new heights)--meaning Quebec will again want to separate -- don't trust Legault HE is a separtist and a liberal -- what more can I say

URU
said

Give it up!!! Can't these Quebecors try to live normal. This is Canada and Quebec is CANADA! Pls Quebec try to live a normal so the new generation Quebecors can live and build a NORMAL SOCIETY!!!!

Canadian Steve
said

This would be I do believe a great party for Quebec and the rest of Canada, but he forgot to mention one thing ------ ( His Statement) "An era when Quebec starts to advance again. A strong Quebec, a dynamic Quebec, a proud Quebec." When he should have added "A Canadian Quebec" where it the provvince and the majority of Quebecer's truly become one with Canada - so that we as a Nation, truly represent to the world that we the Canadian People are truly Canadians from the East Coast to the West Coast and our Northern Sea.

Concerned
said

Seriously... So many opinionated people... How many of you are from Quebec? If you don't live here, you don't know much about Quebec and really shouldn't be expressing any opinion. Separatism was always an emotional appeal to Quebecers so don't fault the citizenry because they've been manipulated by the PQ for the past 40 years.Quebecers have fought in two world wars and pretty much every armed conflict since then. Doesn't that show commitment enough to Canada? I don't hear your nattering when they come home in boxes and I happen to know first hand that Quebecers bear as much emotional pain as the rest of Canada when one of our own comes home in such a manner, regardless of where they were born.I was born and raised in Quebec not in Ontario or Alberta. I don't pretend to know what's right for those provinces and so I refrain from making ignorant comments. Politicians will be politicians and will say and do whatever will get them elected, plain and simple.Shame on you all.

Mike in Mississauga
said

I'm curious. Why is it OK for Alberta to have the Wildrose Alliance Party which has been formed to solely promote the best interest for Alberta and the province of Saskatchewan has the Saskatchewan Party formed again, to promote Saskatchewan issues? During the last Ontario Election, Dalton McGuinty ruminated about the Liberal party standing up for Ontario issues against the Federal Government, yet for Quebec to have a political party dedicated for its sole benefit, they are criticized. Do I sense hypocrisy here?

David
said

Wow! With the red neck postings I'm reading here it is a wonder they haven't seceded yet. out of pure disgust of the low life of the vociferous ctv watchers.He didn't say he wants more federal money, he wants a more prsperous Qu�bec. Why should anyone have a problem with that? He is not proposing separatism so why lash out at him?

Dany P MTL
said

Nice to have the rest of the country weigh in on this. As a young, ignored, English Montreal voter this guy actual looks pretty good and may get my vote. I see how some people freak out about the schoolboard issue but are we really doing better with them? I agree with awarding teachers in way of salary. I want change, and am willing to make that change even if it fails to try something new. Who else do I have? Charest?

spaz
said

From my viewpoint the logo looks like it is exploding.....something they would like to do to confederation.Just wondering.....if Quebec has not signed into the last accord....why are we sending them any transfer payments at all ???Kind of like the "friends with benefits"......but all Canadians outside of Quebec are getting screwed

King
said

Here is some simple math..It takes 10$ a day to run quebec, 6 $ of that ten, quebec produces itself. The other 4 $ Canada gives Quebec..6 4 = 10Take away the 4 $ because you leave Canada, you still need that 4 $ from somewhere to maintain what you already have..this still leaves us with 6 $10 - 4 = 6 $Quebec's 6 $..is a maxed out Quebec, there is no hidden money or industry that can be developed or brought to an independant Quebec that couldn't have already been brought to a married Quebec, their not holding that 4 $ somewhere waiting for a raining day..You can't make up things in reality..That would mean this6 4 = 10 (4) = surlus?? that sounds wrong..is my math off???Or how about this one to help make things clear..If you think your ex-girlfriend(Canada) will be ok with the break up and it will be ok because after the seperation..we'll need you just as much as you need us..you're wrong Quebec.. We don't need you.., We will have our new girlfriends(China, India, South America, Japan ) who love our new relationship so much, they'll understand why Canada would not want them to talk or be friends with their ex- boyfriend-Quebec, I hope Quebec understands why they don't return its calls...and Don't think Canada won't tell their best girlfriends (China, USA, Europe, Russia,) that doing buisness with our ex would not be very good either, so to avoid Drama amongst the ladies..They'll have np ignoring Quebec's calls as well ..Break up's are so messy... Good luck with trying to move on Quebec....we had fun, didn't we?

Alexandria
said

So they want to move forward and make things better do they.Quebec gets the biggest portion of the pie now.How much more do these gluttions want?I say let the rest of Canada vote on seperation and be rid of them once and for all.

alex
said

after the terrorist attacks by the FLQ i never trusted quebec. their government is on one mission, to destroy canada. they can say what ever they want they will never change.

Dennis L. Krahn
said

Please!! Just pack up and go! Take your share of the national debt, get your own currency, police force and military.You are a drain on the rest of Canada and a constant source of discontent.

Jayme
said

They want independence yet they want more hand out sorry it does not work that way.

Robert B
said

It looks like a radioactive warning sign. except not Black and white!!!! A hidden agenda perhaps.

Jason Daniel Baker, Toronto
said

No matter what you package them in they are still just separatists scheming to get back into power.Wolf in sheeps clothing, Trojan horse etc.

George V.
said

What I read is a new vision and plan for Quebec. The goal that is now of utmost importance is the betterment of living conditions for Quebec citizens. This will be accomplished by greater equalization payments (especially from rich Alberta with it's dirty polluting tar sands), more concessions from the Federal gov't. more independent controll of foreign affairs, A new set of Quebec laws, over riding federal laws. When all the cocessions and promises are made , all formally documented , when there is nothing left on the table. We call for a new vote on independence. How could Quebecers say no to independence when things can't get any better. We are seeing a wolf in sheep's cloting. Don't fall asleep at the switch.

Jonathan from Saskatoon
said

"This will allow our nation to reach new heights" You know he isn't talking about the nation of Canada, so that should tell you what he really thinks about separatism. The surest way to tell where someone is going is where he is coming from. For decades the Liberals had hoodwinked Canadians into thinking they were "centrists", when in reality they were leftists, just not quite as extreme as the openly socialist NDP. Like the Liberals, he is trying to hide who and what he really is to grasp power. Anyone doing that is the last person you want holding the reins.

Peter
said

Where is the english version of the logo?

CMQ
said

"This will allow our nation to reach new heights," he said.Still sounds like separtist language to me.

Les
said

Sorry, I meant to say in my previous comment that this new party is just the Parti Quebecois with a new logo and a new name.

Les
said

I'm sorry but if it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck and acts like a duck......it's a DUCK!!!! He may be saying the independence issue is on the back burner but it never will be. I applaud the people of Quebec who have said "enough is enough" and want change, but this guy is a fake. A tiger can't change his stripes. His new party is just the Bloc with a new name and a new logo. I hope the people of Quebec don't fall for his garbage. I'm not saying any other political party is any better but to each his own I guess. Good luck Quebec.

Mike vdB - Chatham, ON
said

Thank-you CTV for the update on the logo. :)

hwood
said

BS!!! He wants to separate now, more than ever, just hiding it better.

Mike in Mississauga
said

"A new vehicle that will see the interests of the common good placed ahead of pressure groups."Wow, could you imagine if Canada had such a political party. I realize that these are early days, but Quebecers have shown a deep desire for change during the last Federal and several provincial elections. I, for one, wish this party luck with their endeavours.

Mike
said

Legault has always been a PQ hardliners, always pushing for a referendum on Quebec's independence. I do not believe he has chanced his strips. If he gets into power just watch how fast he will change back and start demanding a referendum for Quebec's independence from Canada. He is just another person who will say anything the people want to hear until he gains power, then look out, his true colours will show through.

Merlin
said

"Quebecers of various stripes"Does this not mean:Freedom of speechNo language barrierand be & remain part of CANADA ????

mitch
said

A wolf in sheep's clothing...

David
said

A desire for "change", when there is no need, simply illustrates that people are not thankful and, this "new" party is trying to take advantage of that.. Change from being a Canadian to what?

RG
said

I left Quebec thirty years ago.Having spent three years in school to be a certified mechanic I found my self working for only $5 per hour.Having 1/3 of my income spent on American made tools and special tools of the trade as my employers provided nothing.Having the government steal 60% of my earnings in one way or another,through the most oppressive tax system in Canada.Being totally controlled by the "father knows best" attitude of the existing socialist government.I never looked back.I found a job out west at over twice the hourly rate,had all my needs met and was left alone to pursue my life and build up my savings.Having retired a year ago I went back to take care of my aging mother.Nothing had changed,in fact it was MUCH worse.No health care,the local hospital shut down,unbelievably high taxes on everything,bureaucratic bumbling at every turn led me to sell my home in Quebec and put my mother in a care home.And leave as fast as I could from that place.Quebec needs to come to the REAL world and people need to learn about hard work,honesty in their dealings and have a NEW beginning if they are not to end up like Greece forever dependent on handouts.It's time for them to move on and leave the old nonsense behind.But sadly they seemed very content with the old ways and I doubt nothing will change in my lifetime.

Mike vdB - Chatham, ON
said

Congrats to the new party in Quebec and the bringing together of all stripes to form a common and productive goal. Independence still may be a desire but it needs to be put on the back burner and the real life issues need to be faced. On a side note, CTV if you are going to do a story on a party's new logo, could you at least post a picture of the logo?

Ken in WPG
said

Ah....finally! A voice of reson. I hope the party does well.

Bob
said

A picture of a logo is worth almost 600 words. DUH!

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